si-mexico Chapter 51 Severing Ties
Chapter 51 Severing Ties
"Your Majesty, Li Lan and the First Prince have safely left the capital."
Late at night, in the Golden Palace, the eunuch Dou from the Directorate of Ceremonial entered and said:
"Lin Ruoxue finally spoke up."
Emperor Xianxian was reviewing the magical arts passed down by the immortals on the Mountain of Seeking the Dao when he slightly raised his eyes and said:
"This Lin Ruoxue has truly exceeded my expectations."
"If I hadn't already obtained immortal techniques and had the potential to attain immortality, I'm afraid I would have really had to put in a lot of effort on her!"
The combination of the General Who Protects the Nation and the Grandmaster of Martial Arts is enough to pose a threat to this empire.
But it doesn't matter now. Once the path to immortality opens, he will abandon the entire empire and leave, so there's no need to suffer through power struggles and manipulate the throne anymore.
"Lin Zheng killed Zuo Tianlong, and I'm afraid the Taiyi Sect won't be too happy about it."
"Eunuch Dou said again."
"Ah."
The Emperor Xianxian did not care, but said:
How many spiritual creatures are still in the palace?
Eunuch Dou said, "Not much left. The last time we went to the mountain to seek the Dao, we expended too much energy."
"Go buy it right now!"
Emperor Xianxian said, "These Qi Refining methods all require spiritual energy from Qingyun Fruit, White Bone Flower, and other plants, which consumes a great deal of energy. In my opinion, just to refine the first level of Qi Refining, it would probably require about ten catties!"
Although he was a king, he was also a man of great talent. He had been studying diligently for the past few days and had already come up with some ideas.
"Your Majesty, the court and the people have been searching the land for supplies to prepare for the grand celebration of Qingtian. Now the national treasury is empty, and it is extremely difficult to purchase more. This product is mostly produced in the Northern Hu Plain, and the trade routes in the northwest are blocked by rebels..."
Eunuch Dou was in a very difficult position, sweat pouring down his face. He would never have dared to say that unless he had absolutely no other choice.
But things are really difficult now, so I have no choice but to tell the truth at the risk of offending the king.
After all, the land under the Great Li dynasty has been scraped clean three times over, and the bones of the people have been fried several times over. How can you expect to extract any oil from it?
Besides, there's really nowhere to buy it.
"If the national treasury is empty, then increase taxes! Make all the people of the land pay the taxes for the next thirty years at once!"
Emperor Xianxian said, "The trade routes in the northwest are blocked, so let Lin Zheng clear them!"
His face showed a hint of anger.
Eunuch Dou nodded repeatedly, knelt on the ground, and said:
"Your Majesty, an envoy from the Northern Hu has arrived. Hearing that our dynasty received the blessings of immortals during the Qingtian Grand Ceremony, they wish to come to the capital to pay tribute. This servant has learned that many spiritual items are among their gifts..."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xianxian immediately said, "Granted!"
—The Northern Hu and the Great Li are sworn enemies, and they do not exchange greetings with each other. In the past, let alone doing such a thing, even mentioning it would have made one a traitor to the country!
But now, for the sake of the spirit... I can't care about so much anymore.
……
After Eunuch Dou left, he immediately issued the order.
In the darkness of night, he picked up his pen and wrote a letter, which he then handed to his trusted confidant.
……
Not long after.
Outside of Kyoto, on a mountain ridge, a man waved his hand, and a carrier pigeon quickly descended from the sky, hovering on his arm.
He took the letter off the carrier pigeon's leg band and read it.
"Emperor Xianxian has granted us permission to enter the capital,"
The man smiled slightly, "Very good. Take this opportunity to eliminate the people chosen by the major forces of the Immortal Realm one by one."
"In this life, the Immortal Realm will be unable to stop our invasion!"
Behind him, several men in black armor remained silent. Beneath their black armor, only their eyes, mostly white, were visible, making them appear like the eyes of the dead.
Upon hearing the words "Immortal Realm," a faint black aura emanated from them, causing the surrounding grass to wither instantly. A bird that was too close to the treetop was struck by this aura and fell to the ground, instantly dying.
"Send a message to that person: we are about to enter the capital,"
He spoke.
A carrier pigeon was also released behind them.
……
Lin House.
Late at night, Lin Ruoxue was still playing the zither, seemingly troubled.
The carrier pigeon landed.
But she didn't even glance at the carrier pigeon, continuing to play her zither. When the piece finally ended, she stood up and played the last note, and the carrier pigeon's head was severed.
She didn't look at the letter on the carrier pigeon's leg.
The arrival of this letter is enough; I know its contents without even reading it.
"father,"
She walked to the outside of Lin Zheng's study, pushed open the door, and found the room brightly lit.
Lin Zheng put down the book in his hand, looked up at his daughter, and said:
"Li Lan's ancestors were from the Li clan of the Immortal Realm, a great immortal clan."
“In the past, his ancestors went to the Abyss Realm to quell a rebellion, but failed to retreat in time, so they were scattered among the people. The Abyss Realm lost all its spirituality, so the cultivators of the past fell into mortals. Even today, Li Lan cannot even cultivate martial arts.”
"But he still carries the blood of the Li clan of the Immortal Realm. This divine affinity is enough to protect you."
He sighed.
"I understand what Father is thinking."
Lin Ruoxue said, "However, Ruoxue does not need anyone's protection."
"My daughter will become an immortal."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zheng was extremely shocked. He looked at Lin Ruoxue and, for the first time, felt that his daughter was a complete stranger.
Lin Ruoxue's expression was indifferent. At this moment, she seemed to have become an ethereal goddess, no longer possessing any human emotions.
"I will go to Jinyang Palace to practice immortal techniques."
She spoke slowly.
Lin Zheng was shocked and exclaimed, "What? You've gone mad!?"
Li Guan has been suppressing the Lin family for a long time, and the two sides have become even more hostile after the Qiudao Mountain incident.
On the street today, Lin Zheng showed his killing intent to Li Guan without any restraint for the first time.
But now, his own daughter is actually going to join the enemy's sect for the sake of so-called immortality?
This……
It was as if he had been struck a heavy blow to the heart!
"Your daughter knows that you are a man who keeps his chastity, so from this day forward, your relationship with me is severed, and we shall have no further connection."
"From this day forward, Lin Ruoxue will wholeheartedly pursue the path to immortality, severing all ties with worldly affairs and having no more attachments to the mortal realm!"
After saying that, she turned and left.
"Ruoxue!"
Lin Zheng stared at his daughter in disbelief. He was as if he had been severely injured, his breath surging, unable to accept what was happening before him. He wanted to stop her, but Lin Ruoxue actually made a move from a distance, pressing down with her palm.
"Father, you cultivate the Blood Fiend Martial Path, which makes you prone to qi deviation. Please don't get angry."
Wherever the palm strike landed, Lin Zheng, a top-tier expert, was rendered immobile as if he had been lightly slapped, his internal energy completely controlled.
It was precisely because of this that his surging internal energy did not manage to enter his meridians.
Lin Zheng stared at his daughter, his body trembling slightly. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word. His eyes were glistening with tears.
There wasn't much anger or blame, just sadness.
He seemed to have endless questions to ask and countless things to say.
Lin Ruoxue's long eyelashes trembled slightly. Not daring to look Lin Zheng in the eye, she lowered her head and said:
"Father... just pretend you never had a daughter like me—"
After saying that, she closed the door.
He turned to leave.
But in the garden, Lin Ruobing was already standing in front of her, looking at her with tears in her eyes.
"Sis... what's wrong?"
"What happened? Tell us! Dad and I will definitely support you. Tell us... why did you do this?"
Lin Ruobing asked in a trembling voice.
She and her sister grew up together and had a deep and abiding bond. They understood each other very well, so she absolutely did not believe that her sister would abandon her family for the so-called path to immortality!
But what exactly is Lin Ruoxue's predicament?
She is now a Grandmaster, and even the Emperor cannot coerce her!
Looking at her younger sister, Lin Ruoxue finally showed a trace of pain and reluctance on her face, and said, "Don't ask anymore."
With a single step, she was already in front of Lin Ruobing. She gently slapped her palm, trying to force Lin Ruobing away, but Lin Ruobing did not dodge at all. Instead, she grabbed her hand.
Lin Ruoxue withdrew her palm strike, thus preventing Lin Ruobing from being injured.
Lin Ruobing looked at her sister expectantly and said, "Sister!"
She shook Lin Ruoxue's hand.
From childhood to adulthood, whenever Lin Ruobing made a mistake or needed her help, she would act coquettishly like this. Whenever she did this, even if Lin Ruoxue was angry, she would have no choice but to calm down.
Lin Ruoxue's heart softened slightly, and she said, "Ruobing, after you go to the Prince of Annan's mansion, remember to be careful in everything you do."
"Li Lan is indeed a good person. If you encounter any difficulties, ask him for advice."
"Remember this: after I sever all ties with the Lin family today, never call me 'sister' again... I don't want you and Father to be plunged into an abyss of no return because of me!"
After giving this last instruction, she shook off her sister's hand, and in a flash, she disappeared into the night.
"sister!"
Lin Ruobing wanted to give chase, but a strong gust of wind rushed towards her. This time, Lin Ruoxue hardened her heart and did not hold back. Lin Ruobing dared not be careless and had no choice but to dodge.
Lin Ruobing stared in the direction where Lin Ruoxue had disappeared, then stamped her foot and returned to the study to help Lin Zheng up.
"Father... my sister is gone."
Lin Zheng opened his eyes, his face slightly pale, and asked, "What did she say?"
"She told me not to call her 'sister' anymore, because she didn't want us to be dragged into an abyss because of her."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zheng felt both gratified and inexplicably heartbroken. He murmured:
“That’s right… Ruoxue has been strong-willed since childhood. How could she abandon us for the sake of immortality? There was clearly an unpredictable smile that left her no choice but to do this…”
"Ruobing, from today onwards, you must act as if you hate her to the core in front of outsiders, understand?"
Lin Zheng, after all, was a seasoned veteran who had seen many ups and downs, and in the blink of an eye, he had already discerned the advantages and disadvantages.
He believed in Lin Ruoxue.
He also understood that since Lin Ruoxue, as a Grandmaster, could only make such a decision, if he and Lin Ruobing continued to entangle themselves with her, they might end up putting her in danger.
So, as she said, not causing her any trouble is all that can be done.
However, even though he knew this clearly, he still felt incredibly guilty and sad.
As a father, can't he help his daughter even a little bit...?
"I know."
Lin Ruobing bit her lower lip tightly, "So, the reason she deliberately broke off her engagement with her brother-in-law in front of everyone was actually because she didn't want to implicate him..."
"Don't think too much about it. Get ready, the day after tomorrow is your wedding day."
Lin Zheng forced a smile and said, "With Li Lan with the Prince of Annam, I'll feel more at ease if you go there..."
……
"Your Highness,"
At Jinyang Palace, Mr. Zhu said, "The day after tomorrow is the day Lin Ruobing will marry Li Yue. I suggest that we spread the Dharma throughout the world and subdue the court and the people on that day!"
Li Guan nodded.
By deliberately choosing to do this on the day of Li Yue's wedding, the intention was naturally to force the world to take sides.
If you want immortal techniques, you must sever ties with Li Yue.
"That's not enough,"
Mr. Zhu shook his head. "Although Zuo Tianlong is dead, he said that Lin Ruobing has a Taiyin constitution, which is very important to me and can be used to counteract all kinds of extremely Yin things."
"I'm determined to have her virginity!"
Mr. Zhu frowned.
"I want you to find an opportunity to scatter the Nine-Medicine Breaking Yuan Powder into the celebratory banquet at the Prince of Annan's residence!"
Li Guan looked at him and sneered, "Besides, you should know how to concoct aphrodisiacs, right? I'll make Lin Ruobing take them, so Li Yue can see how I enjoy his queen..."
A look of madness flashed in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhu hesitated slightly, but still nodded and said, "Your subordinate obeys."
"This time, the Nine-Medicine Breaking Yuan Powder shouldn't have any more problems, right?"
Li Guan suddenly asked a question.
Mr. Zhu said, "Not everyone in this world is a grandmaster, and not everyone is Lin Ruoxue."
"Very good. After this matter is completed, you will be credited with the greatest merit when the Immortal Path opens! At that time, I will send you back to the Zhu family in the Immortal Realm, hahaha..."
The Zhu family of the Immortal Realm!
Upon hearing these four words, a chill flashed in Mr. Zhu's eyes, but it was fleeting, and he simply said calmly:
"I was able to return to my family entirely thanks to Your Highness's efforts. I will serve Your Highness with my life!"
……
Ning'an City.
Compared to Kyoto, this city appears quite desolate.
Along the way, they encountered countless refugees. Even after entering the city, they saw only corpses of the starving everywhere, people with sallow and emaciated faces, and the people's livelihood in dire straits.
The prefect and magistrate of Ning'an City had already received orders and were waiting outside the city.
"Welcome, Your Highness!"
After bowing, Prefect Guo Taiwei stepped forward, his face filled with fear, and said:
"We know that Your Highness has sealed this city and has been conscripting laborers to build the Prince's Palace for days. However, it is not yet completed. We ask Your Highness to stay at Wenyun Pavilion for the time being, and we will certainly speed up the process!"
Upon seeing this, Li Yue frowned. Having seen too many refugees along the way, she realized that the situation in Da Li was already so critical, with the lives of the people hanging by a thread. Now, the construction of her own palace was adding more labor, which she found quite inappropriate.
She glanced at Li Lan, who had already said calmly:
"I'm sorry to trouble you, Lord Guo. So the laborers have been given money and dismissed. The Prince's Mansion will not be rebuilt. Wenyun Pavilion will be used as the Prince's Mansion."
Li Lan came here simply to avoid the tangled web of power in the capital, giving Li Yue the opportunity to gather the world's fortune!
Where you live doesn't matter at all!
Upon hearing this, Guo Taiwei was taken aback for a moment, and instantly realized that this young man must be Li Lan, who had become famous throughout the land and had risen from a commoner to a Hanlin Academician in just a few days.
"Just do as my teacher says."
Li Yue spoke directly.
Guo Taiwei hurriedly bowed and said, "Your subject obeys!"
He hurriedly ordered people to do it, and then led Li Yue and his party to Wenyun Pavilion.
Wen Yun Ge is a large mansion that has been built for many years. Although it is fully equipped, it is quite old. Fortunately, Guo Taiwei had it cleaned up.
"Lord Guo, the Prince and I have seen a great many refugees on our way here. The Prince has already drafted ten new policies. Please implement them immediately without any mistakes."
Li Lan took out a folded document and handed it to Guo Taiwei.
Guo Taiwei glanced at them and was immediately shocked, staring at Li Lan and Li Yue in disbelief!
……